Cracked Armor
by Remus-Chocolade
Summary: After the attack by Greyback it takes two of the most important women in his life to begin to put Bill together again.


**AN: Just a short story, all characters belong to J. K. Rowling and/or Warner Bros.****Rating for a few words, but altogether pretty harmless. **

"Listen to me, Bill!" Fleur was growing more and more annoyed with her fiancé. For the past hour he had laid there in his bed, sulking and snapping at her every time she tried getting him to talk.

"No!" he roared back and knotted his arms firmer over his chest and stared at the wall behind her. "It's not 'zhust scars!'" It was a low blow to mock her accent, a sound he normally loved, but ever since he had been attacked by Greyback he hadn't been himself.

"Zen what is it?" Her eyes flooded and she didn't have the energy to fight any more. He heard the door slam shut behind her, but tried not letting it move him, instead growled and yanked the covers higher up. It didn't take long before he heard footsteps again outside the room.

"Fuck off!" He didn't care who it was, he didn't want to as much as see another human being, least of all his family.

"William." His mother stood in the doorway and against himself he recoiled a little at the use of his given name, even if it was spoken softly he knew it meant he was in trouble.

"Go away," he said and shot a look at the other bed across the room, sending gloomy thoughts in the direction of Charlie, he hadn't even been in the country at the time of the attack. If he had, maybe he had been slashed open like a Christmas turkey instead.

"Bill, what's bothering you?" Molly said quietly as she entered and put down a tray with toast and jars of jam on the bedside table.

"Nothing," he muttered, staring at the ceiling.

"Don't lie." She was a bit stricter now and sat down on the edge beside him.

"I'm not," he insisted, but refused to look at her.

"I'm your mother, I know when you're lying." She placed a hand on his cheek and turned his head to face her. He obeyed only because of the sting in the half-healed marks. "You hurt Fleur. Why?"

"We're not getting married." He almost choked on the words, but managed to keep his voice level.

"And how have you got that idea, young man?" She was smiling slightly, but he stayed mute. "Is it because of these?" She traced a couple of the gashes on his face with her index finger.

"No." He blinked hard and looked at the wall again.

"It's just –"

"No, it isn't just scars!" he shouted. "It's werewolf-bites!"

"It's just marks on a man showing his bravery," she finished. "You're no less of a man because of them. You're more." He knew she was right, but didn't want to acknowledge it.

"She can't marry me now." His lips were pressed tight together.

"Bill, now you're being stupid," Molly told him straight forward and he opened his mouth to answer. "No, I can't believe you of all people can be so vain and superficial."

"Vain? I was bitten by a werewolf!"

"No, you were bitten by a man, per definition!" Her look didn't waver from his eyes, even if he didn't meet it. "It's nothing more that scars! You're still you and you would be even if you had become a werewolf!"

"Mum, I'm a bloody mess!" He was shouting again, but didn't care.

"There, you said it yourself, it's your ego that's bruised, nothing more!" She matched his decibel without trouble.

"No, I'm ruined! And I'm not being Fleur's pity-case for the rest of our lives!" His hands were fisted so hard his knuckles stood out white, the freckles stretched over sinew and bone.

"She loves you, Bill! And you love her! Why do you insist on making both of you miserable?" Her face flushed red in anger and she tried getting a grip on her emotions.

"I'm not, that's why I'm breaking the engagement!" His throat went tight as he pressed his lips together again.

"Bill, dear Bill..." Molly wasn't calm, but she tried staying rational at least. "You're still handsome, you're still funny and you're still William Arthur Weasley, not a half-beast."

"No, Mum," he said, the words sounding choked and pleading even in his own ears.

"I don't know what to do with you," she admitted quietly. "You really hurt Fleur. You're hurting yourself and me by acting like this."

"Then just let me be." He was staring at the wall again.

"No, I'm trying to help you." She stroke the back of her fingers down his cheek, but his hand snapped around her wrist and pulled it away.

"Don't!" The anger flared again in both of them and she reached over to pry his long fingers off, but he caught her other hand too, staring hard at her. She exhaled fast before the battle broke out, both trying to force the other back. After a minute he had his arms pinned down in the pillow on either side of his head, the fury evident in his face.

"Calm down or I'll sit on you," she threatened. He flared his teeth. "Don't take that tone with me!"

"Fuck off!" He felt the hold on his wrists tighten, a little taken aback with how strong his mother was.

"Maybe I was wrong, maybe you are different now." She let go and jumped up with every intention of leaving. His eyes filled with silent tears and once again he looked like her little boy, not a grown man. She sunk down where she had been sitting again. "I'm sorry. What is it?"

He swallowed hard and blinked several times. "It's a full moon tonight. I'm scared." He never knew something could be that hard admitting or feel so good when getting acceptance in the form of a hug. He let the tears run.

"Shh, Bill, it's okay," she whispered in his ear where she was leaning over him. "Nothing will happen to you."

"But what if it does?" he whispered into her red mane.

"No, it won't," she promised and he believed her, he needed to. She continued to stroke his upper arm and shoulder slowly for several minutes as his breath steadied and the tears ran dry. When she sat up again he saw her eyes were red-rimmed before she turned to the tray with food. "I brought you lunch."

"Thanks," he said as he pushed himself up in a sitting-position. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay to be scared," she said warmly as she handed him a toast with strawberry jam.

"I'm sorry for acting like such..."

"Such an idiot?" She gave a little smile.

"I guess that's what I was going to say." He smiled a little too. "I have to apologise to Fleur."

"Yes, you do, you two are getting married, 'couse I've already bought robes." Her smile widened and he chuckled inwardly. "Should I get her now?"

"If you bother to, that'll be nice," he said, trying to be his usual cheerful self, but it wasn't easy. Molly nodded and left him alone to eat. It wasn't long before his fiancé appeared in the doorway, looking worn and down, but even with the tear-paths still marking her cheeks he found her nothing less than amazing.

"You wanted to talk to me," she said flatly and stared at the floor.

"Please sit down." He patted the place where his mother had been a few minutes previous and she obeyed a little reluctantly. "I'm sorry, Fleur, I acted like an idiot."

"Yes, you did," she agreed quietly. He cupped his hand under her chin and guided her eyes to meet his.

"Fleur, I'm scared," he whispered. "I'm scared of the full moon and I'm afraid I'll hurt you or make your life miserable."

"You won't." She held his gaze steady.

"I love you like I didn't think was possible. Can you forgive me for being stupid and still marry me?" he breathed, not sure if he had broken something between them.

"Bill, will you be like zis before every full moon?" she asked instead. He looked down on her hands in her lap.

"Maybe. But I won't let it out on you," he said slowly. "Or anyone else."

"Bill?" She lifted his chin with a nimble finger to place a light kiss on his lips. "Yes, I'll marry you." They were both smiling slightly.

"Will you stay here tonight, with me?" he murmured.

"If your muzzer lets me," she murmured back.

"Oh, I'll talk her into it." He figured that would be the least obstacle in the coming hours.

When dark came, the two narrow beds had been pushed together to make one suitable for two people, one with fiery red hair and one with as blonde as the moonlight flowing through the open window. He was on his back, she on her side and gently holding his hand, fluttering her eyes open every other minute to see how he was doing.

He felt restless and tense, but her presence made it easier to cope with. His mind danced a little around how much his life had changed the last couple of years. Now he couldn't imagine his life without Fleur, yet it wasn't long since the first time he had seen her. He remembered a strong urge to get to know this creature which looked as harmless as a lily of the valley, but smart and capable enough to compete in the Triwizard Tournament.

Slowly he got up, keeping the rustling of the sheets to a minimum in case she was already asleep. He rested his fists on the window-sill as he stared out over the garden and forest, seeing every creature still and asleep. The moon cast it all in a silver-blue light and he moved his eyes upwards, seeing the scarred and ancient orb hang there as ever before among the stars.

"When I was little I used to sit up and watch," he told her, having been fully aware of her moving behind him. "Just watch." Her arms wrapped softly around his waist and he felt her cheek to the back of his shoulder. "It was the most beautiful thing I knew."

"And now?" she whispered. He turned slowly to nuzzle his nose down in her hair.

"Now I have you," he murmured with a tender smile. "Nothing can compare with you."

"No, you can compare with me," she said and sat down on the bed. He slowly joined her with a self-ironic smile. "No, Bill, I'm serious. You're much braver zan me, much quicker zan me with a wand and 'ave a much more open mind. And you are much more beautiful zan me." She was rewarded with a deep kiss, not necessary because he agreed with all of it, but because it was what he needed to hear. Slowly she inclined them down and wrapped her arms around his back as he laid gently on top of her.

"Fleur... You know what I want to do. I guess you can feel it now," he said and chuckled softly. "But we'll wait 'til our wedding night, right?"

"Zat is what we agreed on," she said breathlessly.

"Then we'll stop now." He slowly rolled off her, but settled her against his side, their legs still dangling out of the bed.

"Bill, 'ow is it I find you so... Attractive?" she whispered and rubbed her thumb carefully on his chest.

"What d'you mean?" He had closed his eyes and now his mouth narrowed.

"Don't get me wrong now," she said quietly, "but before I always thought red hair and freckles to be kind of..."

"Ugly? Loads of people do," he muttered.

"Zen, when I saw you, ze first zing I loved was your hair and your smile." She reached up a hand to touch at the strands flowing over his shoulder.

"It's a Weasley-thing," he said nonchalantly.

"_Non,_" she objected softly. "I had already seen your bruzzers, but zey are not..."

"They are boys," he said a bit mockingly. "Fred and George will never grow up, and Ron... He's Ron!"

"While you are a man," she concluded. "A brave, smart and stubborn man."

"And I'm all yours," he whispered. "Take me with all my flaws and damage."

"I wouldn't 'ave it any other way," she murmured and yawned. He pulled the ends of the covers around them and sighed, hoping she would be by his side every time his armour cracked in the future, every time he felt small or like a beast.

She smiled into his warmth, wishing to be let in on his secrets and see all the cracks in the armour he protected himself with to be Bill Weasley, big brother and curse-breaker. Soon husband and one day father.

**AN: I'm not continuing this, I just wanted it to be a little thing taking place between the attack and the wedding with some semi-angst and fluff.**


End file.
